Carol Tresch Maddox (née Carol Yvonne Tresch) passed away peacefully on January 23, 2021 in Fremont, Michigan. Carol fought a courageous battle in recent years, following two below-knee amputations and the onset of dementia. Carol was born December 16, 1937 in Petaluma, California, a fifth-generation native Californian. Her parents, Albert Henry Tresch and Kathryn E. (Carroll) Tresch, raised Carol and her younger sister, Sharon (Tresch) Sanchez in Petaluma, Novato, Vallejo, and San Francisco, California. Carol graduated from San Rafael High School in 1955 and pursued her love of all things artistic by enrolling at California College of Arts and Crafts (CCAC, now known as California College of the Arts), where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree. Upon graduation, Carol taught as a substitute teacher in the Oakland public schools, an experience she often credited with having taught her about strength and kindness. Carol's love of the arts sparked an intense desire to travel abroad to see in person the art and architecture she had learned about in school, so in 1961 she applied for a civilian position with the U.S. Army that would permit her to live and travel abroad. The Army sent her first to Rothwesten then Babenhausen, Germany as a staff member in the Service Clubs on those bases. Carol's duties included scheduling cultural events and exchanges, travel, and entertainment for Army soldiers and their families at those bases. Carol traveled all over Europe and the Middle East and experienced music, art, and cultural events whose memories remained with her throughout her life. Most notably, in 1961, Carol met the man she would marry when then-Captain Edward R. Maddox, Jr., walked into the Service Club at Babenhausen to inquire into the whereabouts of a missing phonograph (property of the U.S. Army!) that Carol had somehow "lost." The story of their mutual first impressions of each other was the source of much laughter over the years. Carol and Ed were married in August 1963 in Novato, California. During the course of their 58 year marriage, they lived in Babenhausen, Germany; El Paso, TX; Ft. Sill, OK; Ft. Leavenworth, KS (where their first son, Edward III was born); Washington, DC/Springfield, VA; Ft. Bragg, NC; Atlanta, GA (where daughter Kathryn was born); Pleasanton, CA; Brussels, Belgium; and Fremont, MI. Additionally, Carol spent two full years as a single mother while Ed served two combat tours in Vietnam. Their middle son, Michael, was born in California during one of Ed's deployments. No matter where she lived, Carol found a way to share her artistic talent and to absorb the art around her. Carol taught art in her childrens' schools, at L'Ecole d'Aquarelle de Pierre Chariot in Brussels, at her beloved La Romita in Terni, Italy, and at numerous workshops all over the United States and Europe. Her watercolors won numerous local and national awards, including the American Watercolor Society Gold Medal in 2004. Carol painted exhibits at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, made dollhouse furniture, did calligraphy, created Christmas ornaments with Ed for sale at arts and crafts shows, painted murals on commission for privately owned businesses, and even did illustrations for technical manuals for the Department of Defense. Above all, however, she loved to share her love of art with her grandchildren. Her art room in her home had a special set of drawers filled with supplies meant only for her grandchildren when they visited. She was at her happiest sitting and making art with them. Carol was also an avid gardener and had a breathtaking array of roses, climbing wisteria, and other flowers in her garden in California. The flowers flourished under her care and love, just as her family did. In addition to friends all over the world, Carol is survived by her loving husband, LTC (Retired) Edward R. Maddox, Jr., of Fremont, MI and Pleasanton, CA; her children Edward R. Maddox, III of Dublin, CA; Michael A. Maddox (Sue) of Santa Clara, CA; and Kathryn Springstead (Gary) of Fremont, MI. Carol was the adored grandmother of Gary and Edward Springstead of Fremont, MI and Kimberly and Natalie Maddox of Santa Clara, CA. Carol is also survived by her sister Sharon (Tresch) Sanchez of Montclair, CA and a treasured niece, Rebecca de Ville (Paul) of Honolulu, HI. Carol also leaves behind a loving team of dedicated caregivers who made it possible for Carol to spend the last years of her life at home, happy and comfortable. Plans for memorial services in Michigan and California will be announced at a later date. The family requests those who wish to express sympathy to consider making a donation to either the Alzheimer's Association of America or the Pleasanton (CA) Art League, in Carol's name. Friends may send a condolence, share a memory or share a photo with the Maddox family online at www.crandellfh.com. Arrangements by Crandell Funeral Home – Fremont Chapel. 231-924-0800 To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Carol Tresch Maddox, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store. Services are Pending

Services are pending at this time and will be announced soon